Study the Biological Science major in the Bachelor of Science, and become familiar with microbiology, biodiversity, cells and molecular biology, gene technology, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive biological variation.
Biology is at the heart of life on Earth, from the smallest microorganisms to entire ecosystems. In recent years, there have been remarkable discoveries in the biological sciences, from antibiotics and vaccines to disease-resistant crops and alternative fuels.
The Biological Science major is ideal for students who are interested in understanding the science of life, how everyday existence can be explained and how human activities can shape Earth’s future. In the face of climate change and population growth, the biological sciences have never been more important and there are many rewarding careers for biological science graduates.
Thinking about studying at AUT? Book a time with us to discuss your study options.
This is part of the Bachelor of Science.
In the Biological Science major you explore the role of biological sciences across many areas - human health, industry, agriculture and the environment. There’s an emphasis on concepts relevant to issues and biological phenomena in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.
All Bachelor of Science students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.
Choose one of:
And choose one natural sciences course
And one mathematical and computer sciences course
*Only available to students in the Analytics and Mathematical Modelling and Computation majors
And one course from either the natural sciences or mathematical and computer science courses above.
Complete the following course:
And one of:
In Year 3, you complete a project in an area related to your major. This project gives you an important competitive edge for your career, and is good preparation for postgraduate study.
Courses you complete for this project:
If you're majoring in biological science, this is the main subject area you specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree and consists of eight biology-related courses you study throughout your degree.
Use our online tool to build your own degree and see what your three years of study could look like.
https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/bachelor-of-science/biological-science-major-bachelor-of-science
If you started your studies at AUT before 2023, the courses you need to study to complete the requirements for your programme are a little different. You can find the old programme regulations you need to meet on Canvas. Simply log in with your AUT student ID number and password.
You could work in areas like environmental monitoring and management, water quality management, animal welfare, biotechnology and pharma industries or academic research.
*After an additional year of teacher training
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.